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Topic: I found myself a Slingerland |
Noah Miller
From:
Rocky Hill, CT
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Posted 23 Dec 2013 5:06 pm |
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Almost exactly a year ago, I came across a piece of musical history: a Slingerland 401 electric guitar. This was arguably the first solidbody guitar intended to be played Spanish-style; it was certainly the first with a solid wood body, the first with neck-through construction and one of the first with a humbucking pickup. After I had some necessary restoration work done, I realized that its strong output, clear tone and endless sustain made for a great slide guitar.
While the model 400 lap steel is less rare, it's still not easy to find. Finally, today I received my steel (and at a surprisingly reasonable price, too). The steel is on the left:
I knew that Slingerland made relatively few of either model, but I didn't expect the serial numbers to be so close - 160 and 167. The steel is all original except for the hard-wired cable, which looks like a '60s Switchcraft. Its output is very strong but much mellower than the Spanish guitar, which may be due to how the pots have aged. The volume pot is nearly frozen, so I might just have them both replaced. Otherwise, it sounds fantastic. It's also the best-looking steel I have, with some strong figuring in the veneers.
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James Nottage
From:
Indiana, USA
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Posted 23 Dec 2013 5:13 pm Slingerlands
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Congratulations. It is a rare pair you have there and very important in guitar history. There must be a lot of fun in putting them to work.
James
_________________
Clinesmith S-8; Pettingill P6; Rick-Style Vintage 47 Amp |
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chris ivey
From:
california (deceased)
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Posted 23 Dec 2013 5:53 pm
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| kewl! what year were they made? |
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Rick Aiello
From:
Berryville, VA USA
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Posted 23 Dec 2013 5:56 pm
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Sage Harmos ... Of Harmos Steel Guitars ... Had me fashion some Slingerland magnets back in the day 
He was a proponent of Slingerland steels ...  |
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Noah Miller
From:
Rocky Hill, CT
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Posted 23 Dec 2013 6:07 pm
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| chris ivey wrote: |
| kewl! what year were they made? |
Slingerland made electrics around 1936-1939, but nobody knows exactly because there is no surviving list of serial numbers. |
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Paul Arntson
From:
Washington, USA
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Posted 26 Dec 2013 11:19 pm
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| Those years look right with the knobs. I had a 37 Epiphone and a couple others form around that year that used similar hexagon knobs, but without the pointer or texture. |
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